The Other McCain

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South African President Says Women Are Now Too Quick to Claim Harassment

Posted on | March 6, 2016 | 32 Comments

In an impromptu exchange with reporters Saturday, South African President Jacob Zuma said modern women no longer know how to accept a compliment: “But when men compliment you innocently, you say it’s harassment. You will miss out on good men and marriage.” The opposition party Democratic Alliance was swift to condemn Zuma’s remark as “outrageously sexist and an insult to every single woman in our country, especially those who are survivors of violence and sexual abuse”:

It is precisely this patriarchal attitude that allows for women to remain the subjects of high levels of violence and sexual abuse throughout our country. It is also this sort of thinking that keeps women locked out of the economy, and out of jobs that could bring a much needed income to their family. . . .
South Africans must join the DA in rejecting this blatant sexism. The best way they can do this is to register for change this weekend.
This is change that will end sexism, create jobs, and build an inclusive South Africa for all her people, men and women alike.

How could President Zuma’s remarks about men complimenting women “innocently” be condemned as “blatant sexism” and a “patriarchal attitude”? Are his critics saying that men should never compliment women and that every time a man compliments a woman he is engaged in harassment? Apparently so, according to South African feminist writer Louise Ferreira.

“It’s not flattering. If you do this, you are a misogynist, a participant in rape culture, and a straight up a–hole,” Ferreira wrote on Twitter.

Ms. Ferreira, who  describes herself as an “unapologetic queer socialist feminist,” went on a rant against Zuma as “a rampant misogynist,” saying compliments from men make women “feel uncomfortable, self-conscious and unsafe,” and categorically condemning male expressions of interest in women as “catcalling and street harassment.”

 

Comments

32 Responses to “South African President Says Women Are Now Too Quick to Claim Harassment”

  1. TheOtherAndrewB
    March 6th, 2016 @ 6:04 am

    Once again, a feminist proves that brightly colored hair dye is either a symptom of or cause of mental instability. I should get a hefty government grant to study cause and effect.

  2. robertstacymccain
    March 6th, 2016 @ 6:31 am

    The cause-and-effect relationship between feminism and insanity is ambiguous.

  3. DeadMessenger
    March 6th, 2016 @ 6:49 am

    There’s enough anecdotal evidence on Tumblr by itself, let alone in rich kidz skools, to point to a cause-and-effect relationship.

    And who is Louise Ferreira to claim that women, plural, don’t like compliments? I like compliments. Compliment me now, and maybe I’ll hit the tip jar.*

    *Actually, I won’t. I’m out of work and have no salary at the moment. But I’ll hit the tip jar in my heart.

  4. Joan Of Argghh!
    March 6th, 2016 @ 7:00 am

    For the sake of her argument, let’s assume that a compliment carries with it all the deepest desires of a man to join with her in copulation, to use her, and discard her. Not forcibly in fact, but ardently in fantastical hope. In the quaint days a woman needed only to invoke the name of her father, husband, or brothers, rebuff the man as a cretin, and go about her life unvictimized, secure in the love and protection of strong men in her life who were dedicated to her well being.

    Paternalism has its charms, when applied by real men who have a vital interest in the well-being of someone they cherish. Ah, to be cherished in that way! Women have cast that aside so they may cherish themselves as they see fit, apply to a heartless State as their protector, and set themselves up as lone wolves in the dark forest of human interactions, baying at the moon in constant complaint.

    Because men have left off the culling of cretins from the midst of a community (community? what’s that?) in the protection of those they cherish, such cretins and beasts have flourished in our public areas, on our televisions and culturally in song. Women are taught to objectify themselves, seek attention from men (oh, from everyone!), and then feel victimized when such activity brings about expressions of carnal desire. It is a dangerous world for women. I agree. It is a safe assumption when among strangers that most new-world men, unaccountable to better men, are devolved creatures, crude, and trained to view women as objects. They don’t feel the sting of certainty, the real possibility of the State breaking their kneecaps. That sort of visceral imagination used to keep natural carnal desires in check.

    I don’t think there is any way forward for a modern woman except to make the wisest choices possible (without the benefit of being acquainted with wisdom) about with whom she associates, and whether or not to keep a chambered bullet in her handgun. If she appeals to the State as her soulless protector, much good may it do her. Baying at the moon is all that is left to her.

  5. Powered by UNicorn flatulence
    March 6th, 2016 @ 7:05 am

    But, a lesbian hitting on other women is perfectly natural /s

  6. SharondaWBenitez
    March 6th, 2016 @ 7:48 am

    “my .friend’s mate Is getting 98$. HOURLY. on the internet.”….

    two days ago new Mc.Laren. F1 bought after earning 18,512$,,,this was my previous month’s paycheck ,and-a little over, 17k$ Last month ..3-5 h/r of work a days ..with extra open doors & weekly. paychecks.. it’s realy the easiest work I have ever Do.. I Joined This 7 months ago and now making over 87$, p/h.Learn. More right Hereoo!283????? http://GlobalSuperEmploymentVacanciesReportsSeason/GetPaid/98$hourly…. .?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:::::oo!283……

  7. CrustyB
    March 6th, 2016 @ 8:33 am

    Of course, “survivors of violence and sexual abuse” these days means “lost at Trivial Pursuit.”

  8. Zhytamyr
    March 6th, 2016 @ 8:52 am

    So women that wear man pants, flannel, & have crew cuts, want to assure that women that look and act as women have no interaction with men? As always, lesbians are encouraged to hit on women with no ill effect. This is unsurprising as feminism is largely a Marxist scam to enable hideous troll beasts to have sex – a “Teamster’s union” for cunnilingus if you will. Strangely enough, most lesbians also look like teamsters…

  9. robertstacymccain
    March 6th, 2016 @ 9:25 am

    Something one gathers from reading feminist literature — and I’ve read an insane amount of it — is that they see men and women as implacable antagonists in a competition for power. The obsession with “male power” is evident in feminism’s deployment of “patriarchy” as a paranoid conspiracy theory, the all-purpose explanation for everything wrong with the world. Feminists therefore deny the possibility of men and women engaging in voluntary cooperation for mutual benefit. Marriage is slavery, according to feminist theory, and heterosexual intercourse is rape. Therefore, the man who expresses romantic or erotic interest in women is a “misogynist” — a woman-hater — demonized as participating in “rape culture.”

  10. Squid Hunt #BootTwitter
    March 6th, 2016 @ 9:49 am

    Please. Help the species by becoming a lesbian and not breeding.

  11. Fail Burton
    March 6th, 2016 @ 10:02 am

    And of course, who’s been actively traveling to South Africa and other Third World countries teaching man-hatred as “social justice”? That’s right, Charlotte Bunch. Imagine if the Red Cross were only for men and you get the picture. These dames are convinced men have it in for women and they don’t wait long for working in their theory the gender binary is at fault. It’s like a cult of neo-Nazis running around the U.N. and the world teaching everyone about “the Joos.”

  12. NRPax
    March 6th, 2016 @ 10:12 am

    and I’ve read an insane amount of it

    I see what you did there…

  13. NRPax
    March 6th, 2016 @ 10:13 am

    And a straight woman rejecting a lesbian’s advances is a “homophobe.”

  14. totenhenchen
    March 6th, 2016 @ 11:09 am

    South Africa is the rape capital of the world at the moment so it’s not unreasonable to think that Zuma is being disingenuous.

  15. Fail Burton
    March 6th, 2016 @ 11:33 am

    The person who does this is actually some xanax-flushed broad who targets anti-feminist sites…

    …and loves pirates.

  16. Adobe_Walls
    March 6th, 2016 @ 1:33 pm

    Notice that for most of them ”socialist” or whatever is part of their ”sexual identity”.

  17. Greg
    March 6th, 2016 @ 2:08 pm

    As a long time veteran of the public sector, where feminist nutjobs are legion, I long ago learned to never compliment any woman for any reason. Outside of my wife, of course. But not even good friends, whom I KNOW are not feminazis. It’s just not a good habit to get into.

  18. Unreliable Consent
    March 6th, 2016 @ 2:53 pm
  19. OrangeEnt
    March 6th, 2016 @ 3:01 pm

    Oh, pity the poor warriors!!! Whatever will they do? Zuma’s the ANC leader, the sainted (yeah, right….) Mandela’s, group. That’s a plus. He was accused of rape. That’s a minus. He was a member of the Communist Party. That’s a double plus. What to do? What to do?!? They may just explode!!!! Maybe his wife can run for president….

  20. Fail Burton
    March 6th, 2016 @ 4:26 pm

    Supremacists always claim to speak for their entire biological group and also take offense at any perceived slight at a member of their group by an out-group. You see this all the time with queer feminism in film and literature. The Bechdel Test is a prime example. All men are put through a lesbian ringer before the art is approved. These people do in fact need a Virginia Woolf-style room of their own; one with padded walls.

  21. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    March 6th, 2016 @ 7:16 pm

    They are right in there is a ying and yang between male and female. From that dichotomy comes power. Where they are wrong in missing out that is a good thing. Feminists are the ultimate win loss people. They cannot conceive of a win win.

  22. Mr. Generic
    March 7th, 2016 @ 12:40 am

    To be fair, President Zuma is also tribal chief with 3 wives and multiple mistresses, amongst whom he’s fathered 20 children. The ANC forced him to take a pledge in 2007 to not embarrass the party with any more sexual “revelations” (which he broke a few years later by having an out of wedlock child with his friends 39-year-old daughter). His definition of “compliment” may be more provocative than your average man’s.

  23. JoyceCMaldonado
    March 7th, 2016 @ 4:55 am

    “my .friend’s mate Is getting 98$. HOURLY. on the internet.”….

    two days ago new Mc.Laren. F1 bought after earning 18,512$,,,this was my previous month’s paycheck ,and-a little over, 17k$ Last month ..3-5 h/r of work a days ..with extra open doors & weekly. paychecks.. it’s realy the easiest work I have ever Do.. I Joined This 7 months ago and now making over 87$, p/h.Learn. More right Hereoo!768????? http://GlobalSuperEmploymentVacanciesReportsNews/GetPaid/98$hourly…. .?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:?:::::oo!768……

  24. Long John gunga
    March 7th, 2016 @ 7:16 am

    Aarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ye casting aspersions on pirates…because if y’aarrrrrrrrr, my friend’s mate wants a short word with ye…

  25. gunga
    March 7th, 2016 @ 7:39 am

    So…in an office environment…a boss says to the men, “Great job on the Bonzo account!” and exactly nothing to the women involved. That’s a lawsuit-in-waiting, n’est ce pas? As you say, Kafka trap. Oh…wait…just never let the boss be a guy and a business can succeed. What was I thinking? We’re all equal as long as men are subordinate and keep their mouths shut…and stay the hell off Twitter…

  26. Powered by UNicorn flatulence
    March 7th, 2016 @ 8:13 am

    Heck, a straight woman rejecting the sexual assault of a lesbian is homophobia

  27. Steve Skubinna
    March 7th, 2016 @ 11:35 am

    So we have a white person criticizing a black person, who is NOT a Republican? As we know by now, that’s nothing but racism, straight up.

    Hey, I don’t make the rules.

  28. Steve Skubinna
    March 7th, 2016 @ 11:37 am

    Oh, he’s “tribal,” is he? That’s gotta be worth about a gazillion diversity points. Too bad, angry white chick, you lose!

  29. Sort-Of-Mad Max
    March 7th, 2016 @ 11:39 am

    I notice that she’s telling her newfound admirers here to just ‘f*ck off back home’; I guess people like her are the only ones who get to notice things and comment on them. On a public forum like Twitter.

    Not at all a sign of mental instability!

  30. @ImaCarNow
    March 7th, 2016 @ 12:40 pm

    C’mon…@frrlou must be a satire account…”unapologetic queer socialist feminist” couldn’t be more hysterically redundant. Wake me up when you find an apologetic feminist! Is that even a meaningful concept?

  31. ‘Extremely Rare False Rape Accusations’ : The Other McCain
    March 7th, 2016 @ 9:46 pm

    […] heterosexual male behavior and attitudes seem monstrous. A guy makes an innocuous joke, or compliments a woman’s appearance, and suddenly he is condemned as a misogynist perpetuating “rape culture.” Amanda […]

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